Jerome Leonard Epstein (January 17, 1922 – November 16, 1991) was an American director, screenwriter and producer known for his nearly 30-year professional collaboration and friendship with

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

and his son

Sydney Chaplin Sydney John Chaplin (; 16 March 1885 – 16 April 1965) was an English actor. Chaplin was the elder half-brother of actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin and in later life, served as his business manager. Through their mother Hannah, they were ...

Early life

Epstein was born on January 17, 1922, in

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

, Ohio. Epstein's father had come to America in 1905 to escape anti-Jewish

pogrom A pogrom is a violent riot incited with the aim of Massacre, massacring or expelling an ethnic or religious group, particularly Jews. The term entered the English language from Russian to describe late 19th- and early 20th-century Anti-Jewis ...

s in Vilkomir, Lithuania. Epstein's childhood was spent in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Epstein served in the Army Air Corps. After his military service, Epstein used the

GI Bill The G.I. Bill, formally the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, but the te ...

to study drama at the

University of California at Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the Ca ...

(UCLA), where he met

, the second son of English actor

. After UCLA, his first job was as road manager for

close harmony A chord is in close harmony (also called close position or close structure) if its notes are arranged within a narrow range, usually with no more than an octave between the top and bottom notes. In contrast, a chord is in open harmony (also ca ...

singing group

The Andrews Sisters The Andrews Sisters were an American close harmony singing group of the swing and boogie-woogie eras. The group consisted of three sisters: contralto LaVerne Sophia Andrews (1911–1967), soprano Maxene Anglyn Andrews (1916–1995), and mezzo ...

Career

Circle Theater

In 1946, Epstein, Sydney Chaplin, actress

Kathleen Freeman Kathleen Freeman (February 17, 1923August 23, 2001) was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, she portrayed acerbic maids, secretaries, teachers, busybodies, nurses, and battle-axe neighbors and relatives, almost i ...

, and several UCLA students founded the Circle Theatre, now known as

El Centro Theatre El Centro Theatre is a Hollywood theater. It was founded in 1946 and is located at 804 N. El Centro Ave. Hollywood, California 90038. History In 1946, students from UCLA, including William Schallert, Jerry Epstein, Kathleen Freeman, Sid Rusha ...

, in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

. The troupe's first performances were held in a living room, but later moved to a converted corner store. The theater became a meeting place for Hollywood's

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

. Contemporary comedic actors such as

Groucho Marx Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer who performed in films and vaudeville on television, radio, and the stage. He is considered one of America's greatest comed ...

, and

Fanny Brice Fania Borach (October 29, 1891 – May 29, 1951), known professionally as Fanny Brice or Fannie Brice, was an American comedian, Illustrated Songs, illustrated song model, singer, and actress who made many stage, radio, and film appearances. Sh ...

attended shows at the theater.

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress whose Katharine Hepburn on screen and stage, career as a Golden Age of Hollywood, Hollywood leading lady spanned six decades. She was known for her headstrong ...

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor ( ; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer, producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO Pictures, RKO when David O. Selzn ...

, and Edward G. Robinson were also frequent visitors. Chaplin was an enthusiastic supporter of the theater. He attended Sydney's performances in

Elmer Rice Elmer Rice (born Elmer Leopold Reizenstein, September 28, 1892 – May 8, 1967) was an American playwright. He is best known for his plays '' The Adding Machine'' (1923) and his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of New York tenement life, '' Street Sce ...

's play '' The Adding Machine'' and also directed his son in three productions at the theater. Chaplin also helped Epstein obtain the rights to and direct

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

-winning playwright

William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''The ...

's 1949 play ''Sam Ego's House'' at the Circle Theater. According to Epstein, all that Chaplin asked in return for his assistance to the theater was "35 cents and a cup of black coffee."

Charlie Chaplin's assistant and collaborator

Epstein began working as

's assistant in 1951, working on Chaplin's ''

Limelight Limelight (also known as Drummond light or calcium light)James R. Smith (2004). ''San Francisco's Lost Landmarks'', Quill Driver Books. is a non-electric type of stage lighting that was once used in theatres and music halls. An intense illum ...

.'' A movie executive counselled Epstein not to take a credit on ''Limelight'', made during the period in which Chaplin had become a target of

McCarthyism McCarthyism is a political practice defined by the political repression and persecution of left-wing individuals and a Fear mongering, campaign spreading fear of communist and Soviet influence on American institutions and of Soviet espionage i ...

. Chaplin was thereafter banned from reentry into the United States, and asked Epstein in 1952 to join him in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. Epstein would live in Europe for the rest of his life. In Europe, Epstein teamed up with Chaplin as an associate producer on ''

A King in New York ''A King in New York'' is a 1957 British comedy film directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin in his last leading role. The film presents a satirical view of certain aspects of American politics and society. It was produced in Europe after Cha ...

'', shot in London. During production, Epstein and Chaplin visited the places where Chaplin grew up. Epstein was listed as Chaplin's assistant in the crew listing for ''

The Chaplin Revue ''The Chaplin Revue'' is a 1959 film comprising three silent films made by Charlie Chaplin. The three shorts included are '' A Dog's Life'', '' Shoulder Arms'', and '' The Pilgrim''. All three star Chaplin's trademark character, The Tramp. For ...

'' in 1959. Chaplin promoted Epstein to producer on ''

A Countess from Hong Kong ''A Countess from Hong Kong'' is a 1967 British romantic comedy film scored, written, and directed by Charlie Chaplin, and the final film directed, written, produced and scored by him. It was based on the life of a former Russian aristocrat, as ...

'', the last film Chaplin directed. In 1968 and 1969, Epstein worked with Chaplin to produce the screenplay for ''The Freak'', intended as a vehicle for Chaplin' daughter,

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

. Epstein and Chaplin funded the prototype for the wings of Victoria's character, and Epstein worked with studios about casting and location scouting. The project was never made due to Chaplin's declining health. Sydney Chaplin appeared in three Epstein projects, including films ''Follow That Man'', ''A Countess From Hong Kong'', and '' The Adding Machine'', and Broadway plays '' Bells are Ringing''.

Later life

After Chaplin's death in 1977, Epstein worked to preserve the actor's legacy. Epstein provided the idea for film critic

David Robinson David Maurice Robinson (born August 6, 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1989 to 2003, and minority owner of the Spurs. Nicknamed ...

's 1985 book ''Chaplin: His Life and Art'', which was used as source material for the 1992 biographical film ''

Chaplin Chaplin may refer to: People * Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), English comedy film actor and director * Chaplin (name), other people named Chaplin Films * ''Unknown Chaplin'' (1983) * Chaplin (film), ''Chaplin'' (film) (1992) * Chaplin (2011 fi ...

''. In 1989, on the 100th anniversary of Chaplin's birth, Epstein published the memoir ''Remembering Charlie''. Epstein frequently hosted Chaplin's widow

Oona Oona is a feminine given name. It is an anglicisation of the Irish-language name ''Úna''. Apart from in Ireland, it is also a popular name in Finland. People with the name Oona * Oona Brown (born 2004), American ice dancer * Oona Chaplin (born ...

and her children at his

Vincent Square Vincent Square is a grass-covered square in Westminster, London, England. It is London's largest privately-owned square, covering 13 acres, lined with mature trees including London Planes. In among a network of backstreets, it chiefly provides ...

home. Epstein died on November 16, 1991, in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

Filmography

Film

Television

Broadway

Bibliography

* ''Remembering Charlie'' (1989), ISBN 978-0385262828

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Epstein, Jerome Film directors from Ohio Charlie Chaplin 1922 births 1991 deaths Jewish American screenwriters Jews from Ohio 20th-century American Jews Jewish American television writers American television writers American television producers American people of Lithuanian-Jewish descent